Ballymena2–4Linfield

Ballymena opened their holiday programme on Saturday last by entertaining their conquerors in the Irish Cup final, but this time in the City Cup.

The visitors relied on the same side as won the Irish Cup, but Ballymena made no less than four changes in the front rank, Cassidy, Murphy, Dalrymple, and Gilmour being replaced by Kilpatrick, McCready, Howard, and Shaw. There was a good attendance.

Linfield, with a stiff breeze behind them were early aggressive, and a free from the right looked dangerous for the home side. McKeen, however, punched away a long drop at goal by McCleery, and the Ballymena forwards came away in sprightly fashion.

Kilpatrick essayed a long shot, but Higgs held well, and, with Linfield making full use of the wind, play was mostly in the home end, and McKeen's charge had a narrow escape when McCracken hit the upright with a terrific drive. Reid cleared from the rebound.

Lively play followed and Jones came in for a caution from the referee for a nasty foul on Reid. Fouls were frequent after this, both sides being guilty, and the game was much broken up in consequence. Ballymena were fighting back gamely, and Kilpatrick after making ground, got well across, only for Shaw to send high over.

The best shot so far came from McCready, who volleyed hard from close range, and Higgs at full stretch brought off an equally fine save. Of the two keepers, McKeen was still getting rather the most to do, but the shots were mostly from long range and lacked sting.

Then with 35 minutes gone, Kilpatrick, McCready, and Jamie Shiels worked down, and the latter sent in a hard shot from close range which Higgs got at, but the ball struck the inside of the upright, to lodge in the back of the net.

Linfield retaliated at once, and McCandless, standing on the line, saved a certainty from McCracken, with McKeen lying prone out of goal. Again a great shot came from McCready, who volleyed from close range, and again Higgs saved magnificently by tipping over the bar.

Play continued fast to the interval, with Ballymena rather the more aggressive, and they held their lead.

On resuming play was more quiet with Linfield, though against the breeze, having the advantage territorilly. McKeen cleared well from Houston, being fouled in the process, and then Shiels, racing away at the other end, was fouled by Curran well outside the penalty area, Reid placed the free nicely for William McCready to increase the home score, through a ruck of players.

This was 11 minutes from the restart. In three minutes Frank Grice reduced the lead. McCready gave away a free in the home end, and although McCandless blocked Sloan's shot for goal the ball went loose to Frank Grice, who gave McKeen no chance, as he was unsighted all the way.

The pace was now hotter than ever with both goals being menaced in turn. McCleery hit the crossbar in a Linfield attack, and though Reid cleared from the rebound, the Cup winners kept up the pressure and, following a corner, Hamilton Hewitt, in the course of a melee, breasted through the equaliser 24 minutes after the resumption.

On the run of the play they were deserving of this in as much as Ballymena had resorted to the close game instead of making the ball doing the travelling.

Nine minutes from the close when Linfield had to battle against heavy rain. Ballymena revived and exerted considerable pressure. It was only a spasm however, for after McCaw struck the crossbar William McCleery ran in and headed through to put Linfield on top.

Inside the last minute Hamilton Hewitt headed through a fourth, thus leaving Ballymena well beaten, though the score flattered Linfield.